There seems to be a lot of players around that are earmarked for Test stardom at around 18-20 (Clarke, Bell, Tait, Cook, De Villiers), but most of them are left to gain more experience in FC cricket these days. Bell was nearly thrown into Test cricket on the last Ashes tour in Oz, Tait went to SL, Cook is captain of the A side, Clarke was in the wings for so long waiting for Lehmann to retire - ABDeV is the only one to be thrown in early. It just seems like because the stakes in Test cricket are so high these days, teams are less reluctant to throw in young players when there's a chance they may not be ready.

I reckon the under-25s would struggle to be competitive. I've picked what I think is the best XI, but wouldn't make any great claims for it. Too many rabbits for one, Mortaza comes in at 9! Others I overlooked (Steyn, Tait, Edwards) would hardly strengthen the batting either.

I guess McCullum could keep & you could play De Villiers as a specialist bat, but that would weaken the bowling.

"The PFA does not represent players when they have broken the law and been convicted on non-football matters."- Gordon Taylor in 2009 following Marlon King's release after a prison sentence for sexual assault & ABH

I reckon the under-25s would struggle to be competitive. I've picked what I think is the best XI, but wouldn't make any great claims for it. Too many rabbits for one, Mortaza comes in at 9! Others I overlooked (Steyn, Tait, Edwards) would hardly strengthen the batting either.

I guess McCullum could keep & you could play De Villiers as a specialist bat, but that would weaken the bowling.

I agree Rudolph has been rather average lately, but it's kinda Hobson's choice. Devon Smith, maybe?

I considered adding him to my provisional III to make it a IV, but he got dropped from the WI side for the last Test against England, and I hadn't heard anything about his form since then.

Maybe he was affected by the fact that, mistaking him for Dwayne Bravo, who scored 50-odd, I said "well batted" when I saw him after last year's Lord's Test. He had scored a shaky 5 off about 20 balls - he gave me a look like he thought I was being sarcastic and rubbing it in!

"Here's a question. If we had it 32+, with those that I have already mentioned jumping into the other team (or just simply not being valid) who would be the replacements? Inzy? Martyn? Atapattu? Astle? Hayden?"

It's interesting to see you've got 5 Aussies in the over 30s, but only one under 30

Originally Posted by flibbertyjibber

Only a bunch of convicts having been beaten 3-0 and gone 9 tests without a win and won just 1 in 11 against England could go into the home series saying they will win. England will win in Australia again this winter as they are a better side which they have shown this summer. 3-0 doesn't lie girls.